The Legend Retold
by Sinistrae
Summary: When Kagome decided to try out for a part in the school play, she realized it was all about the feudal fairy tail that she's so tied up in! Will the end of their mission be revealed to her? Inuyasha x Kagome with minor Sango x Miroku
1. Going Home & The Play

When Kagome decided to try out for a part of the play at school, she realizes it's all about the feudal fairy tail that she is

**The Legend Retold**

**Chapter 1 – Going Home & The Play**

**Summary – **When Kagome decided to try out for a part in the school play, she realizes it's all about the feudal fairy tail that she is so tied up in! Will the end of their mission be revealed to her?

**Author's note** **–** This story was conceived before the ending of the series was released. Please try to suspend your disbelief and forgive me for any unavoidable errors!

**This chapter** **–** Kagome goes home and finds out about the school play.

--

"Inuyasha, look, I'm _failing_. I need to be at school for a while. Is that okay?"

"Feh." Kagome sighed. There was no convincing that stubborn mutt.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I just have to. Come and visit me if you want. I'll give you stuff to bring back to the others. All right?" Kagome looked at the half demon with pleading eyes.

"Keh. Fine, stupid wench," snapped Inuyasha, turning around. Kagome bristled at the insult, all traces of patience gone.

"GOOD! Now, SIT BOY!" she screeched, causing the rosary to grow too heavy to bear. InuYasha kissed the dirt, and watched helplessly the feet walking towards the well and cursing his inability to curb his tongue.

--

Kagome sat on the edge of the well, staring down into it. Her hair fell around her face, but instantly fell away as she dropped down. Squeezing her eyes shut, she could see the purple light pounding against her eyelids until, at last, it ended. Opening her eyes slowly, she looked up to see the roof of the well-house high above. Smiling slightly, Kagome began the slow ascent, clambering over the edge and walking outside. The smells of the city were vague, but assured her that she was once again in her own era.

Running inside, Kagome called out for her family.

"Mom! Souta! Gramps!" she cried, setting down her overlarge backpack.

"Oh, Kagome, dear!" said her mother, stepping out of the kitchen. "I'm glad to see you home!" The woman smiled at her daughter before withdrawing back into the kitchen with a last call of, "Souta and Grandpa are upstairs!" Kagome once again retrieved the pack and tottered upstairs with it, setting it in her room and collapsing on the bed. At once, she melted into it, deciding that Souta and Gramps could wait.

'_Mmm, my back's been so sore_,' she thought, closing her eyes. Instantly, though, she opened them. '_I can't go to sleep! I have to study!_' Sitting up with a small groan, Kagome reached forward and pulled a book off her desk. "Math," she said aloud. "My favorite." Her voice was laced with sarcasm. Pulling open the old book, she rested her chin in her hand and began to skim the material, while thinking, '_This is so stupid. I don't understand this at all. I'll never need this._' After about fifteen minutes of staring at the same theory, she shut the book, kicked it away from herself, and lay down. Face in the pillow, she treated her bed to a beating by her feet and her pillow to a muffled screech before turning around and pulling a history book from the pile. Opening it, she began to skim, finding this much easier. She skipped over the entire unit on feudal Japan.

--

"Kagome! KAGOME! Oh, it's so good to see you out of the house! How are you feeling? Woozy, I bet!" chimed Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi together. Kagome laughed nervously.

_'Oh boy, what has Gramps been telling everybody now?_' thought Kagome with a false smile. "Guys, I'm fine! _Really,_" she added at her friends' disbelieving stares.

"You know," said Eri slowly. Kagome sensed something she didn't want to hear. "Houjou's been really worried! He keeps stopping by your house, but you-" she was cut off as another cry rang through the air.

"Hey, Kagome!" Speak of the devil; Houjou came running towards the group of girls. Kagome sighed but put on a happy face for the boy who never could take a hint.

"Oh... hi Houjou! Um, how are you?" she asked as he regained his breath.

"I'm the one who should be asking that!" he laughed once he had the air. "You know, if you're feeling up to it..."

"No, Houjou," Kagome interrupted quietly. "I really don't have any time to go out with you, I'm sorry. I just have to study; you know how far I've fallen behind." She tried to look as sorry as possible, but it was difficult, remembering how oblivious the boy was.

"No, it's not that!" Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, but Houjou rambled on without noticing. "There's a school play going on, and signups are being held! Since you seem so interested in feudal Japan, I thought you'd like to sign up for it!" This certainly did catch Kagome's attention, but as to whether or not she'd like to sign up, she wasn't quite sure.

"Well, I'll be sure to look it up, Houjou; thanks!" she smiled, and was rewarded for her efforts by his departure. "Hey," she said, inspired to ditch her immature friends. "I'm going to go check out this play, okay?"

"Oh, we'll go with!" cried Ayumi. Kagome groaned mentally, but just nodded to her friends, and started off towards the main building.

It wasn't that she didn't like her friends anymore, but ever since she'd gotten so entwined in this feudal era life, she'd changed. While her friends were still thinking of boys and things of youth, Kagome had already matured into a young woman, staring death in the face too many times to count. Still, it did feel good to her to sometimes let go, to try to be a kid again. But she'd never forget. She could never forget.

It didn't take long to locate the play information. Many students were gathered around what the girls knew to be the notice board. Kagome walked up, gently pushing her way to the front, where she could read the signup list, which bore relatively few names. More seemed to be on the boys' column than the girls'. Kagome's dark eyes moved over to the information sheet, growing more and more narrow as she read. Her breath caught in her throat as realization struck her. Luckily, her friends didn't notice as she backed slowly away, her mind working rapidly.

'_This... this play is all about our adventures! It has to have an end... I think I should sign up... maybe... it'll reveal the way that Naraku can finally be defeated!_'

--

**Author's note** **–** Sorry for the short chapter, but it's only an intro! Stick around for chapter two!

**Next chapter –** Kagome signs up for the play, but so have all her friends. Can she even get her own part?


	2. Signing Up & Auditions

**The Legend Retold**

**Chapter 2 – Signing Up & Auditions**

**Summary – **When Kagome decided to try out for a part in the school play, she realizes it's all about the feudal fairy tail that she is so tied up in! Will the end of their mission be revealed to her?

**Author's note – **Thank you to everyone who reviewed! The encouragement and ideas are very much appreciated. This chapter is dedicated to Anaia because she is my best friend and gave this story its title.

**Last chapter – **Kagome went home and found out about the school play.

**This chapter – **Kagome signs up for the play, but so have all her friends. Will she even get a part?

--

Kagome lay in her room, her books spread out on her bed with her, though none were currently being read. Ebony locks fell all around her, chocolate eyes staring up at the ceiling.

_'Auditions are tomorrow... I'll get a part for sure. Yeah, it'll be a snap!'_ Her mind's attempt to reassure itself could not soothe her worried heart. Kagome sighed and nestled into her pillows.

_'I have to sleep... or else I won't be able to... do a good job..._' as if obeying her command, her lids began to grow heavy. Her last thoughts were of Inuyasha, wondering what he'd say about this play. "_Feh_!"

--

"Kagome, dear, don't you want some breakfast?"

"No thanks, Mama! I'm gonna be late!" called Kagome, jogging out the door. As soon as she was free of the house, though, Kagome stopped and made her way slowly to school, her mind buzzing. It wasn't long before the absent-minded Kagome found herself outside of the buildings; with a sigh, she hitched up her skirt and walked inside. She felt almost normal, dreading the school day.

--

Time seemed to go by so fast; she was just sitting down for first period when all of a sudden, it was time for auditions. Eri, Ayumi, Yuka, and Kagome walked in together. Upon entering, they met up with Houjou, grinning cheerily. Kagome, already nervous, felt the need to brace herself.

"Hey, girls! Who are you going to try out as, Kagome? The characters are in this pamphlet!" Kagome found a cheap, thin booklet shoved under her nose. Taking it carefully, she opened it and skimmed over the characters.

"The Legend Retold – Character List

Inuyasha (male lead)

Strange Girl (female lead)"

'_I guess I don't even get a name,'_ she said to herself.

"Kikyou (female supporting)"

Her heart skipped a beat, but she decided to move on and not give it thought.

"Sango (female supporting)

Miroko (male supporting)"

'"_Miroko?" Er, close..._'

"Shippou (child male supporting)

Kaede (elderly female supporting)

Kagura (female supporting)

Kanna (child female supporting)

Kohaku (male supporting)

Sesshomaru (male supporting)

Kouga (male supporting)

Naraku (male lead villain)"

Kagome smirked. So she was the strange girl. Wondering what exactly history had to say about her, she flipped a few pages ahead into the pamphlet. It gave a brief summary ("_A play detailing adventures across Feudal Japan, following humans, demons, and half-demons_. _More information available at auditions starting January 23rd_."_)_, and very vague descriptions of each character (_"Strange Girl: A teenage human female youth who aids protagonist Inuyasha. The reincarnation of Kikyou, with strong spiritual powers and skill in archery. Sometimes disappears for periods of time and is said to have control over time._").

'_"Control over time?!" Well better they think that than be suspicious of me, I guess. Heh, I wonder if maybe I should play Sango or something. I should try out for Kikyou! That'd be a laugh._' However, despite her thoughts, Kagome confirmed that she would try out for the Strange Girl.

Receiving a piece of the script, she skimmed over it, and fought her laugh. The girl trying out for Kaede, Risa, smiled at Kagome as they began.

"Quickly, child!" she cried, a decent imitation of Kaede for a teenager. "Utter a subduing spell!" Kagome closed her eyes, remembering that day: her hesitation, fear as this dog-eared boy came flying towards her. Looking up at an invisible boy, Kagome inhaled and screeched:

"SIT BOY!" With a smirk, Kagome looked at the undisturbed ground. The stage had a nice echo.

--

Kagome sat in bed, her books tucked safely away in her bag. Her lids drooped with fatigue; she didn't dare work any more. Who knows the gibberish she might imprint upon her assignments? Tomorrow they'd be posting parts and understudies, and until then there was no use worrying about it. With a sigh, Kagome buried her face in her pillow, and wondered what Inuyasha might be up to right now.

--

"So, what's he doing, now?"

"The same thing he's been doing since Kagome left."

"Pouting, still?" Shippou, Miroku, and Sango turned to look outside. Inuyasha sat crouched on the fence, scowling in the direction of the well. '_Kagome isn't usually gone for this long. She should be coming back soon.'_ But even he didn't believe his own thoughts. Kagome herself had told him that it would most likely take quite a bit longer than usual. Inuyasha began to growl as he had on that occasion, refusing to admit that he did miss the girl. Instead he settled into his old standby: that their hunt was being delayed and Kagome was the selfish one.

--

Kagome practically ran to school, fighting off the crowds, to see her part. She pushed through the milling crowd and squinted in search for her name. Her heart raced as though she were in the midst of battle. '_Wow, my perspective is weird,_' she thought, before finally locating her name.

KAGOME HIGURASHI………………………..KIKYOU

Her mouth fell, and her eyes once again traced the line connecting her name with Kikyou's. If not her, then who was playing her role? She combed the other side of the list.

AIYA LEE………...………………………………STRANGE GIRL

The Chinese exchange student! '_I'm not _that_ strange_,' she thought bitterly. '_I'm Japanese, at least. Agh!_' A dark scowl settled on the normally cheerful girl's face. She had only been kidding about that Kikyou thing. It seemed Karma was biting her for something.

After a distracted day of school, Kagome stomped to the theater room for practice. There she saw the dark-haired exchange student asking if she could switch parts.

"I'm sorry dear," came the performing arts teacher's answer. "But unless Miss Higurashi wishes to switch, then you stuck in this role. You'll have to ask her." Before Aiya could turn, though, Kagome came running up eagerly.

"I'd _love_ to play the strange girl!" she exclaimed, causing Aiya to glow with relief and the teacher to be very bewildered. Kagome grinned as she met Aiya's eyes and felt that she was much more fitting. Though her blunt-cut hair was short, she was, like Kikyou, pale and beautiful, with a calm sadness lingering about her. Feeling that the roles, at the very least, were falling into place properly, Kagome relaxed and prepared for their first ever practice.

"Alright, let's try this dramatic scene between Inuyasha and the strange girl, who we'll just call Kagome." Kagome laughed; they would've named her after whoever played the part. "Okay, turn to this page in your scripts, and start at the top..."

Kagome wondered who was playing Inuyasha. She'd been so stressed about her own part, that she hadn't even bothered looking for anyone else's. Lo and behold, who should play Inuyasha but...Houjou.

'_At least he's not Miroku_,' thought Kagome. '_I mean...Miroko_.' Kagome had suggested the name be changed, but the teacher told her that was the name of the man in history. Kagome rolled her eyes, but recognized defeat; she was unable to press the matter further without spilling anything.

Coming back to the present, Kagome looked down at her script.

Scene: InuYasha is lying badly injured on the ground. He is on his back, eyes closed, as the strange girl approaches.

Kagome frowned. This wasn't looked promising. '_Oh well._'

"Oh, Inuyasha!" she cried dramatically, flinging herself down on him. She heard Houjou's breath leave him for a moment. '_Oops_.'

"Ka- Kagome..." he whispered. _'Inuyasha might not like this..._' she thought. Houjou was a pretty good actor; she could see emotion in his eyes as he weakly reached out to brush her cheek as the script instructed. It was difficult to keep from laughing when Houjou would suddenly regain his energy to read the script.

"Are you going to be all right?" she asked, raising her head to look at him. She envisioned Houjou as Inuyasha, lying beaten and battered. She suddenly felt like crying.

"Naraku... he's dead, yeah?" 'Yeah' was not in the script.

"Yes, Inuyasha. He's gone. And the jewel is nearly complete. We only need the one from Kohaku…" She frowned; would it really be this way? She hadn't had time to read ahead in the script yet.

"Good. Kagome... I promise you... I will become human..." Kagome's breath caught. Would he? Tears stung the girl's eyes.

"Inuyasha... I..." she blinked and remembered to look at the script. '_Idiot. No improvising. He's still in the feudal era, safe and out of trouble. And unpromising._'

"I..." she faltered. Even in a play, even though it was Houjou, this was difficult. "But I'm happy the way you are, Inuyasha... I... I love you." Her cheeks burned. Houjou took it differently and blushed as well. '_I didn't mean _you_!_' He reached up to push stray locks of her hair behind her ear. He seemed to be attempting to deflate himself; he was inhaling less and very limp. Kagome suppressed a smile at the thought of a deflated Houjou.

"I love you too, Kagome... I..." he paused to glance sideways at his script. Kagome adopted a bored look before he continued with a theatrical cough. With a glance at her own script, she mentally sighed and brought her hand under his back in attempt to help him sit up. '_We could fake this, ya know!_' she thought. '_Geeze, sit up by yourself._'

He smiled up at her, his eyes somewhat dim. With one last glance at the script as the page ended, he gave her a weak, "heh," and closed his eyes, pretending to go limp in her arms. Kagome was horrified as she looked at her own script. She almost didn't say her next lines, but conjured up an actress' spirit.

"NO! Inuyasha!" she shook him a bit rougher than she meant to. Houjou began to look a little pale so she stopped. Gently lowering him to the floor, she finished reading her own script. '_Oh no..._' she thought. '_I don't want to do that..._' With a resigned sigh and real tears that everyone else took for fake rolling down her cheeks, she lowered herself to kiss Houjou. Before their lips met (she could feel his anticipation, his body tensing beneath her), the teacher cried out:

"BRAVO!" and signaled for them to stop. '_Thank you!_' "All right then, we're done with your parts for today!" Kagome almost ran out, trying to hide her tears. She was deaf to the calls of her friends, and upon arriving home, leapt into bed and burst into tears.

--

**Author's note – **Please review, because you might just get the next chapter dedicated to you! Think of the _prestige_!

**Next chapter – **Kagome finds out who else got a role, and questions the true history behind the play.


	3. Partial Nudity & The Epidemic

**The Legend Retold**

**Chapter 3 – Partial Nudity & The Epidemic**

**Summary – **When Kagome decided to try out for a part in the school play, she realized it was all about the feudal fairy tail that she's so tied up in! Will the end of their mission be revealed to her?

**Author's note – **This is by far my most popular fic, and I want to thank everyone who has reviewed it. This chapter is dedicated to The Black Moon because I was to hear the spoiler! I also had an idea for the end of the play itself, but hopefully that won't come for a while. I'll also try to leave room for a sequel!

**Last chapter – **Kagome signed up for the play, but so did all her friends. Would she even get a part?

**This chapter – **Kagome finds out who else got a role, and questions the true history behind the play.

--

Kagome was awake for what felt like hours before her alarm clock went off. Slowly, she raised her arm and allowed it to drop limply onto the snooze button. With a muffled groan, the girl who did not feel her age at all pressed her face into her pink pillow, whimpering slightly. She felt the slight dampness in it and the dried tears on her face. She'd not bothered to wash up before falling straight asleep after her long cry. Her fingers gathered a clump of the pale pink fabric that was her sheet.

"Inuyasha..." she whispered, as if he could hear her. "I can't deny that I am in love with you... But I don't want to cry any more..." Rolling over and clutching her pillow to her chest, Kagome stared blankly up at the ceiling. "No more tears. I know what's coming, so I can change it... right? And... and I know the play isn't completely accurate. I mean, 'Miroko?'" Kagome gave a quiet, false laugh in a poor attempt to cheer herself up a bit. Realizing that there was little hope in this, Kagome rose and slouched to the bathroom to wash her face off.

--

A certain dog-eared half demon bounced up onto the tree limb outside Kagome's room, his amber eyes taking it in. Her bed was unkempt, and the scent that lingered told him that she'd only just shuffled out. The dry, stale scent of tears also pervaded the half demon's nostrils. Wondering what that girl had had to be sad about now, Inuyasha entered her room slowly and sniffed. Her scent led him to the door of the little room of running water... the bathroom, as Kagome had called it. Come to think of it, there seemed to be some water running right now! Poor, oblivious Inuyasha decided just to walk on in; clawed hand pushing the door open carefully, he called loudly:

"Kagome! You in here?" There followed in short sequence a shriek, a splash, and then another scream. Kagome had been about to step into her morning shower, and was halfway in when Inuyasha came in. The girl tripped into the water, and Inuyasha screamed at Kagome's lack of clothing and rushed out before she could 'sit' him into the foundation of the house.

His face was a brilliant shade of red rivaling his robe, breathing hard as if he had just run a marathon. The story was the same for Kagome, sliding down the cold wall of the shower, one hand clutched over her chest, the other limp and forgotten at her side. Hopefully Inuyasha had seen no more than her backside, but Kagome wasn't about to quiz him about it.

Warm water was so soothing, partially removing the built up layers of stress within Kagome, who felt far too young to be taking such pressures. It even healed the goose bumps that had appeared when Kagome leaned against the powder-blue tiled wall. Inuyasha had not the fortune of such an all-purpose reliever, and settled for leaping outside and hiding himself in the tree, scaring away the poor birds and squirrels. That seemed to work well enough, and Inuyasha was soon feeling 'manly' again.

--

Kagome walked to school with nothing but Inuyasha on her mind. She had been glad to see him after being so traumatized by the play, but hadn't gotten the chance to talk – after she got out the shower, he was nowhere to be found, and she knew better than to find his hiding spot. She decided to let him be until she got home, and then maybe they could pretend that this morning's events hadn't happened.

'_Maybe it wasn't so big to him. Maybe it was just me, maybe I'm just getting too hyped up over this. I mean, he only has eyes for Kikyou anyway_," thought Kagome, her words echoing glumly in her head. "_She's so much prettier than me, I'm so jealous... and she's stronger. It's no wonder..._" And so Kagome had once again dug herself into a distracted depression.

However, Kikyou was the last thing on InuYasha's mind at the moment. Actually, the first thing was a big fat orange squirrel who was trying to get him out of their tree, but Kagome was right after that. Now he _had_ to apologize. Again. If only he hadn't just walked in, after Kagome had repeatedly scolded him for that very thing. Soon after his escape into the tree he remembered what Kagome had told him about walking into the bathroom. But Kagome would surely forgive him... right? He could only hope.

--

The day passed quickly without play practice. The instructor had been out, along with a number of students, due to some sort of sweeping illness. Students and faculty were falling ill fast, and were slow to return. Fortunately for Kagome, she was rarely sick anyway (despite her Grandpa's excuses), so obviously she was able to fight things off well. Hopefully she would be able to escape this.

Arriving home, Kagome found a note taped to the fridge:

_Kagome,_

_Grandpa and I had to go out of town to get some supplies for Grandpa. I think it has something to do with the epidemic. Souta is coming because he is ill, too. We'll be back before dinner, so don't fill up on junk!_

_Love, Mom_

Kagome sighed and took it down, crumpling the memo in her hands and tossing it into the trashcan. And once again, Kagome found herself home alone. She only hoped that Inuyasha had decided to stick around instead of high-tailing it to the well.

Kagome trudged slowly upstairs and collapsed on her back, relieving herself of the weight of her book-bag with a small groan. She hadn't missed Inuyasha's prints in her rug, but he always did that.

Sitting up, Kagome grudgingly opened the yellow pack and dug for her English book. Pulling it free of the suffocating mass, she cracked it open. The familiar stale, limp pages flopped open; Kagome peeled two apart, pulled out her notes, and began working; or rather, staring fixedly at one spot in the book and brushing her chin with the end of her fluffy pink pen.

Inuyasha slid in from the window, and once again found himself flushed, though not nearly as dark as before.

"Hey, Kagome... er... sorry... 'bout earlier..." he mumbled, shuffling his foot in the rug and causing more marks. Kagome jumped, not having heard him come in. A blush was quickly blooming across her cheeks as well.

"Oh, Inuyasha! Yeah, it's okay... I guess..." she mumbled back before hunching over her book, making her look like a great big vulture.

"Um, your mom is gone..."

"What? Oh, I know, I got her note."

"Er… can I stay here for a while? Please?" Kagome lifted her head to look at Inuyasha, bewildered. Firstly, he asked to stay here for an indefinite period of time. Secondly, he said please, a sure indicator that training was going well.

"Uh, why? I mean, sure, but why?" she questioned, straightening a sore back and looking at him over the fluffy pink pen. Inuyasha scratched his head.

"They're just bothering me back there, and it's not like me staying there is going to make things go any faster. Hey," said Inuyasha, quick to cling to another subject. "What's with this... "game" you're doing?"

"Game? Oh, you mean my play?" Inuyasha nodded, enticing a giggle from the schoolgirl. '_Game, play, I get it, haha.'_ However, the smile slipped from Kagome's face as she remembered it. "Well, actually, it's about your time, Inuyasha."

"My time? So does it mention us?"

"Well..." Just then, Kagome's phone rang. Seizing this chance, Kagome leapt from her pink bed and dove for it, causing Inuyasha to jump back momentarily in surprise.

"Hello?"

"Kagome?" the voice sounded distraught. "We need to talk..."

--

**Author's note – **I apologize for this short chapter! I wanted it up before the night was out, and concentrate on Kagome and Inuyasha. I'm also having trouble thinking how to follow it up... But have no fear, I will! Just stick around. :)

**Next chapter –** Kagome gets some jarring news, and informs Inuyasha about the play before practice resumes.


End file.
